Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

135 | Leadership, Legacy and Looking Toward the Future with Eric Palla, Palla Dairies BONUS: Sponsor Spotlight with Nick Randle, Zoetis Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

If you listened to Ep. 134 with New Mexico dairyman Eric Palla, you got a glimpse inside the strategies and decisions that have guided growth, expansion and diversification of Palla Dairies, from consolidating facilities to hiring a key manager, to raising all of their own replacements, combined with genomic testing to optimize their beef x dairy strategy.

Eric’s back with us today, and we get a glimpse of how this forward-thinking dairyman and businessman views the future of his dairies and the industry, and what he is doing to level up his own leadership.

And stick around to the end of this episode to hear from Nick Randle, U.S. senior marketing lead for dairy productivity and milk quality with Zoetis, to talk about how today’s dairy producers are putting genomic testing innovations to work as a means of raising healthy, productive dairy cows that will help them thrive in today’s ever-changing dairy climate, and achieve dairy goals well into the future.

This episode is brought to you by Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is dedicated to helping producers achieve healthy animals, healthy dairies and healthy food through their world-class portfolio. For more information, visit DairyWellness.com or ClarifidePlus.com

134 | Palla Dairies: 3 Highest-Impact Business Decisions in the Past 10 Years Jul 09, 2024

Show notes

Long before New Mexico ever made it on the map as a top 10 dairy state, one family packed their bags like pioneers and headed East - from California to Clovis.

Eric Palla was just a small boy at the time, as his father Wayne staked out a dairy and a dream that today includes 11,000 cows across three facilities, with two located in New Mexico and one in west Texas.

And that ‘s not all.

In addition to the dairy, the family also farms 15,000 acres and operates a 1,300-head cow-calf herd.

What were the 3 best business decisions for Palla Dairies in the past 10 years? We sit down with Eric Palla today to find out on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast.

We are talking growth, scaling and diversification with Eric Palla, including core business philosophies and high-impact actions, like:

Consolidating operations for efficiency
Hiring an operations manager
Raising their own replacements on site, combined with using genomic selection to drive their beef-on-dairy breeding strategy

133 | Olympic-Level Dairy Farming: with Ellie and Jamie St. Pierre Jul 04, 2024

Show notes

It’s July 4, independence day, and if you’ve been following the US Olympic trials, you may know that one of our own – a dairy farmer – has made TEAM USA once again.

Ellie Purrier St. Pierre who grew up on a Vermont dairy farm, clenched her spot last week in the 5000 m race and will be heading to Paris later this month.

But Ellie is so much more than an athlete. Working alongside her husband Jamie, she lives and breathes dairy farming as much as she does running, and together, the couple support each other’s dreams.

On one of our very first episodes of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, I sat down with both Ellie and Jamie to talk about dairy farming, competing and the mindset of an Olympian.

Even if you heard it before, it’s worth a listen once again. Enjoy this conversation with Ellie and Jamie.

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132 | Laurie Fischer: Lobbyist, Leader and Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

From growing up on a dairy farm to leading the efforts for Wisconsin’s pivotal livestock siting law, Laurie Fischer, founder of the American Dairy Coalition, began her lobbying career as a grassroots voice for dairy farm growth and expansion. Her relentless efforts to serve dairy producers have taken her all the way to Capitol Hill.
Hear how this unwavering advocate for dairy farmers and former executive director of the Dairy Business Association has led change, navigated the political process, and never backed down on speaking passionately and articulately for policies that position dairy farms for the future.
And what you may not know is Laurie is also a co-founder of Dairy Cares of Wisconsin. She shares her personal story and how you too can rally around the campaign that is set to raise more than $3 million for Children’s Wisconsin (formerly Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin).
Contribute to Dairy Cares of Wisconsin
Three ways to give back and support families in their greatest times of medical need:

Corporate or individual donation
Virtual auction
Attend the annual Garden Party on July 27

Find details and donate here:
www.dairycaresofwisconsin.org
Contact Laurie Fischer:
laurie@lauriefischergroup.net
https://www.americandairycoalitioninc.com/

This Episode is Brought to you by Adisseo

This episode is sponsored by Uplevel Dairy Podcast Founding Partner Adisseo, a global leader in nutritional solutions and premier provider of rumen-protected methionine for dairy producers who want to optimize milk production, capture more value from components, and maintain the health of their high-performing herds. Learn more at https://www.adisseo.com/en/

131 | Lessons from a Family Farm Transition: Painful Mistakes + Picking Your Team - with Tommy Oesch, Swisslane Farms Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, I am continuing the conversation with Tommy Oesch from Swisslane Farms to discuss the intricacies of transitioning ownership, management, and leadership from the senior generation to the current generation on the farm.

This episode provides valuable insights into maintaining a clear vision, aligning generational goals, and the continuous process of improving leadership and team management in the dairy farming business.

Tune in to hear more on:

How Tommy shares valuable lessons learned from his most painful mistakes
The importance of surrounding oneself with a strong advisory team
And how Swiss Lane Farms has evolved in its approach to leadership and consultancy

Make sure to check some previous conversations with Tommy Oesch Below!

130 |
101 | Mental Toughness: The 75-Day Transformation: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/6fBLEQstHKb
100 | 4 Miles, Every 4 Hours for 48 Hours with Tommy Oesch, Swisslane Farms and Clare Alderink, Ryzebol Dairy :https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/jinDYkDtHKb
54 | Finding Balance with a Big Vision - Part 1: Faith, Family and Dairy Farming with Tommy Oesch, Swiss Lane Farms: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/LkCtfFItHKb
55 | Finding Balance with a Big Vision - Part 2: Health, Relationships and Accountability with Tommy Oesch, Swiss Lane Farms: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/NIrmuEItHKb
#35 - The 7,000 Cows in Seven Years Vision - Tom Oesch: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ftQRMbRtHKb

Subscribe to Uplevel Dairy Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQ6xQHZ0A1vqHKjRkbtJJA

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130 | Lessons from a Family Farm Transition: Coming Back + Buying Out + Bringing in Multiple Partners - with Tommy Oesch, Swisslane Farms Jun 25, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, I am sitting down with Tommy Oesch, a partner at Swisslane Farms in Michigan. This conversation was so good, that I am breaking it down into two parts for you. Today, you will hear Tommy as he discusses the complexities and challenges of transitioning ownership and management of a dairy farm from one generation to the next.

Tune in to hear more on:

The necessity for critical family conversations,
The importance of working elsewhere before returning to the family farm
The strategic planning needed for succession
And the valuable lessons learned from both successes and mistakes during the transition process

Don’t forget to tune back in on Thursday for part two of this conversation with Tommy to find out some of the painful mistakes he’s made, what he learned from them, and how it helped him and his partners to up-level their advisory team.

Make sure to check some previous conversations with Tommy Oesch Below!

101 | Mental Toughness: The 75-Day Transformation: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/6fBLEQstHKb
100 | 4 Miles, Every 4 Hours for 48 Hours with Tommy Oesch, Swisslane Farms and Clare Alderink, Ryzebol Dairy :https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/jinDYkDtHKb
54 | Finding Balance with a Big Vision - Part 1: Faith, Family and Dairy Farming with Tommy Oesch, Swiss Lane Farms: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/LkCtfFItHKb
55 | Finding Balance with a Big Vision - Part 2: Health, Relationships and Accountability with Tommy Oesch, Swiss Lane Farms: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/NIrmuEItHKb
#35 - The 7,000 Cows in Seven Years Vision - Tom Oesch: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ftQRMbRtHKb

Subscribe to Uplevel Dairy Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQ6xQHZ0A1vqHKjRkbtJJA

Want to get new episodes in your inbox? Subscribe here: https://www.upleveldairy.com/subscribe

129 | Significant Class 3 and Class 4 Shifts + Don’t Miss THIS Risk Management Deadline: HighGround Dairy June Monthly Market Update Jun 20, 2024

Show notes

US milk production declines,

The influence of heat stress and bird flu on supply,
Significant shifts in the CME futures market for Class 3 and Class 4 milk.

And … the risk management you don’t want to miss.

That’s what we are covering today with Curtis Bosma in the HighGround Dairy Monthly Market Insights.

June 30th marks the application deadline for a Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) policy with a new agency.

Find out how the markets are moving and how it could impact your bottom line and grab your copy of the June Market Report here: https://marketing.highgrounddairy.com/producer-market-update-june-2024
HighGround Dairy offers comprehensive insurance solutions from dairy market experts, ensuring your operation makes informed decisions to navigate market volatility.
This episode is brought to you by: HighGround Dairy provides global dairy market intelligence, insurance services, futures & options brokerage, and advisory programs to a diverse range of dairy market participants throughout the supply chain.
Information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes and is not a solicitation to buy or sell commodities. Opinions expressed are current opinions as of June 18, 2024 at 1 p.m. CST and only represent the views of the speaker and not those of HighGround Trading, unless otherwise expressly noted.

128 | Young Leader Bonney Shehadey: The Next Gen of Sustainability at Bar 20 Dairy Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

Back in Ep. 123 of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we visited with California dairyman Steve Shehadey, as he shared the innovations in renewable energy and sustainability that have earned Bar 20 Dairy in the San Joaquin Valley the 2023 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year award and positioned this family business for the future.

Well, today, we are going to meet the future of Bar 20: Steve’s daughter, Bonney - who represents the fourth generation of this family business, and who plans to make her own mark in the dairy sustainability arena.

How did this young leader, who actually didn’t grow up, right on the dairy, take it upon herself to learn the ground-level work, from milking to backing up a mixer wagon?

How did being an athlete with asthma impact her own views on air quality and her dedication to sustainability?

And how does this fresh Cal Poly graduate view the dairy industry and her own future?

Find out on this episode today!

Listen to Bonney’s father, Steve Shehadey, talk about pioneering the energy sector, including Bar 20’s partnership with BMW North America and California Bioenergy:

Listen to Episode 123 here: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Dvmr2AmPd14Wb1aTOvLvX?si=48guRZP1S5OwQT1sqh60Cw⁠

Subscribe to Uplevel Dairy Podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQ6xQHZ0A1vqHKjRkbtJJA⁠

Want to get new episodes in your inbox? Subscribe here: ⁠https://www.upleveldairy.com/subscribe⁠

127 | King Brothers Providing Quality from Herd to Home Jun 14, 2024

Show notes

For going on five generations, the King family in New York has been known for dairy farming excellence as Kings-Ransom Farm. Just over a decade ago, they diversified their business to bring back bottled milk to serve their local consumer with not just a great-tasting product, but also a high-value connection to their farm. Hear from Jan King how they have grown from 40 to now more than 400 bottled milk customers, and what it’s been like to enter the processing sector and build Kings Brothers Dairy direct-to-consumer brand.

126 | Moving Volumes and Adding Value to Milk Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

From retail to restaurants, dairy is finding its way into more menu options and consumer products than every before, and it’s not by accident. Behind the scenes, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is at the table with the leading fast-food chains and food service providers, striking wins that result in strategic and incremental marketplace growth for dairy products and ingredients. If you’ve ever had a “Grimace Shake” or a Taco Bell cheese shell, you can thank our guest, Paul Zieminsky, group executive vice president of health & wellness, insights and innovation, and his team at DMI.

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